Living Life in New York
by CookieDuo
Summary: I do not own, nor do I have any rights to TVD or TO all rights go to Julie Plec and the other amazing writers. The gang is living life in New York as the main source of gossip. Join them in their struggles, success and lovelifes as they each try to make it big in their own field. A small gg feel, but not to much :)
1. Chapter 1

**Hey! This is a story that just came into my mind, it's a Klaroline fic yes, but it also has other pairings like Delena and Kennet and many others. It's about our favorite characters if they were New York socialites, so to speak :) I'm still working on Surviving New Orleans I'm not nearly done with that yet, but I hope you like this just as much! **

**Please comment or review or whatever if you like it!  
Enjoy!**

* * *

The backstage area was crowded, busy and on the verge of chaos, but you couldn't expect anything less from New York fashion-week. It was the event of the year, every up and coming designer who wanted to make a name for themselves was there to show-case their latest collection, hoping to make a splash and be mentioned in magazines like Vogue along with designers like Lagerfeld, Gucci and Versace.  
It was the same for the models, if their name was mentioned in one of those articles, it wouldn't be long before their name was mentioned along models such as Naomi Cambpell, Tyra Banks and Giselle Bunchen, New York fashion-week was the place to make a career if you ever had the potential for one to begin with.  
"Katherine, get over here!" Caroline Forbes was the planner of this years fashion-week, it was the biggest job of her entire career as an event-planner and she knew that this was the moment to make it or break it. She had planned everything down to the last detail, from which runway each designer show-cased their collection to where they had their area backstage, when each show started and where the guests were seated.

She watched as the most desired model of the year, Katherine Pierce, strutted through the backstage area with a confidence like none other to the newest and most anticipated designer of the year, Rebekah Mikaelson, stood making the finishing touches to her collection. Rebekah Mikaelson was the designer to look out for, she had started out as a hobby designer but during an amateur fashion show in New Orleans, Tim Gunn had called her the next "Donatella Versace" shooting her designer career through the roof, the offer of showing her items at NYFW (New York fashion-week) had come directly from Gunn himself two weeks later.  
"Alright, I'm here" Katherine announced and flipped her well-groomed hair over her shoulder, Rebekah glanced up from where she was fastening her first piece onto her starting model and looked her up and down, her eyes narrowing dangerously.  
"Why aren't you in your dress yet?" Rebekah demanded and glared at her.  
"Relax, I got held up is all" the model said with a shrug and Caroline could see the designer restraining the urge to yell at the model.  
"April! Would you please get our star into her dress, the show is about to start" she ordered her assistant and turned to the young brunette who looked more nervous and anxious then anyone there.  
"Of course, Rebekah. Josh, get the finishing piece for Miss Pierce won't you, and hurry it up we don't have a lot of time!" Caroline shook her head and looked down at her clipboard containing all the schedules, Rebekah was in fact set to start her show in less then ten minutes.

"Bonnie, _please _tell me you can do something about her hair?" Bonnie Bennet was the number one stylist hired by every single star worth mentioning, she hardly had the time for anything else anymore, all because Elena Pierce, Katherine's twin sister and Americas Sweetheart and mentioned her name on the red carpet at the Oscars last year, in fact she was also a close personal friend of Caroline. The darkskinned beauty was currently working her magic on Monique Deveraux and Davina Claire, the two youngest models here, best friends since growing up and both of them facing a promising career.  
"Is it just me or is it hot in here?" Bonnie asked Caroline with a smile when she walked over and handed her a fresh starbucks lemonade, Caroline had arranged for Starbucks to have a stand backstage in exchange for advertising their name at the end of the week, not that they needed it but a little extra publicity was never a bad thing. Caroline laughed and fanned her friend with her clipboard.  
"Better?" Bonnie grinned and nodded, her hands currently tangled in the crows-nest that was Moniques hair, walking in between chairs to make the finishing touches on Davina while she was at it.  
"Yes, thank you Care. And by the way, I'm sorry I've been so busy that I haven't had a chance to tell you, but the place looks great, you did good." Caroline narrowed her eyes and folded her arms.  
"I did _good? _I think fantastic is the word you're looking for." Bonnie laughed and nodded, waving her hands around for emphasis when she spoke, Caroline was momentarily distracted by the curling-iron and hairbrush her friend was wielding like swords.  
"You know what I meant" she rolled her eyes and Caroline smiled.  
"I know. Listen, I need to let Rebekah know that she's on in six minutes, I'll catch up with you later, okay?" Bonnie nodded her head and a look of concentration took over her features as she focused all her attention on her work.  
"Hey Care, drinks later?" Caroline only had the time for a thumbs up before manouvering between the many stressed out designers, models complaining and stylists running in between the complaining models.

"Rebekah!" Caroline stopped as she almost bumped into a running April Young, and moved around a concentrated Josh where he stood making sure Katherine looked perfect before her big entrance.  
"Caroline, thank god! I need your help" Caroline frowned and stopped in front of Rebekah.  
"With what? Listen, your on in five minutes, tell me you have everything under control, we don't have time for delays of any sort." She was slightly uncomfortable by the way Rebekah was eyeing her from top to bottom.  
"I'm a model short" Rebekah finally admitted and Caroline gaped at her.  
"Well, I assume you have a back-up" she said with a raised brow and Rebekah smirked a smirk Caroline didn't like one bit.  
"I do know" she said and rounded Caroline.  
"Great! Just get her in the dress and send her out there, I need all of your models by the runway in two minutes" Caroline told her and checked her plans, next up was Vera's newest wedding-collection, at least she knew everything was in order with her.  
"Joshua! Bring me the velvet evening gown, the one with a split down the left leg will you? Caroline is going to model it" Caroline spun around and stared at like Rebekah like she'd just grown a second head.  
"What the hell Rebekah! I'm not a model!" Rebekah folded her arms and gave the other blonde a stubborn look.  
"You are now sweetheart, if you want this show to go smoothly then you need to do this. You have just the right body-type and you already look flawless" Caroline closed her eyes and exhaled heavily.  
"Fine I'll do it, but you owe me big time Bekah!" she ground out and the designer looked smug as she agreed to Carolines terms.  
"Andrea! I need you to make sure everything goes according to plan, I'll only be gone for half an hour" Caroline handed her clipboard to her assistant who stared at it wide-eyed for a second before she caught the hard look on Caroline's face and her own face turned into one of determination.  
"I'll take care of it" she promised and Caroline wasn't convinced but she had faith in her assistant, she'd been with her through all the planning and new everything almost as good as Caroline, almost.

* * *

"Alright people! One minute till showtime!" Rebekah called out just as Caroline was stepping into a pair of black pumps, she couldn't deny the evening gown she was wearing was stunning, but she hadn't been kidding when she told Rebekah she wasn't a model, she had no idea how to get through this.  
"Don't worry barbie, just keep your head high and try not to fall. That's all there is to it" Katherine winked at her and Caroline swallowed nervously, don't fall, right.  
The lights on the runway dimmed, the voices settled down and the music started playing and Rebekah shooed the first model onto the runway, Caroline was second to last so she had plenty of time to worry before it was her turn.  
"You look amazing Caroline," Rebekah reassured her as she looked over the dress one final time before it was Caroline's turn and the blonde took a deep breath before walking onto the platform leading out to the runway. She did as Katherine told her, she kept her head high, eyes straight ahead and made sure not to fall, doing her best to show of the dress as she made it to the end of the runway without falling. The flashing of cameras distracted her momentarily and she blinked a few times before she regathered her senses and turned to walk back down the runway, sharing a secret grateful smile with Katherine as they passed eachother midway.

It wasn't until she was backstage again she realized she'd stopped breathing all together while walking the runway and her lungs relished the air she breathed in once she started doing so again.  
"Okay everyone, time for the big finale!" April called out and all the models walked out in order, clapping and smiling with Rebekah coming in after they had all gathered along the length of the runway, Caroline and Katherine on the end of each side.  
Rebekah stopped at the end in between them and lifted the microphone to her lips.  
"Thank you all for coming tonight, I could not have done this without my incredible team of assistants and designers and of course the models who wears my items the way they should be. Have a nice evening everyone!" she called out and linked arms with Katherine and Caroline and guided them out, the rest of the models following behind them.

"Thank god that's over" Caroline breathed and took a shaky breath, Katherine smirked and rolled her eyes.  
"You sound like it was the end of the world as you know it. Loosen up a bit Caroline, you don't have to be so god damn up-tight all the time." Caroline narrowed her eyes at the brunette.  
"I am not up-tight Katherine, just because I don't like showing off my looks every chance I get doesn't mean I'm boring." it was clear to everyone around that she had taken the comment to heart, clearly she was insulted.  
"Relax Caroline, don't mind her." Rebekah pulled her aside and squeezed her hands.  
"Thank you for doing that, and you can keep the dress as a gift" She smiled and Caroline couldn't help a grin.  
"Seriously? I can keep it?" Caroline was no stranger to receiving gifts such as designer clothes or purses, but this dress was special, she had modeled it on the runway after all.  
"It's yours, now if you'll excuse me I need to see some people" she smiled and walked away to join her team, all of them cheering and toasting a success with champagne flutes.  
"Hey Rebekah!" Caroline called after the designer and she turned her head expectantly.  
"Congratulations" Rebekah smiled and continued on her way to her team where April already had a glass of champagne waiting for her.

* * *

The backstage area was finally starting to clear out for the day, all the models was already on their way to the after-party held at "The Originals" the hottest nightclub in town with a very exclusive clientell. It was owned and run by Kol Mikaelson, Rebekahs twin brother and Bonnies boyfriend and the biggest pain in the ass for everyone else.  
"Hey Care, are you going to the after-party?" Caroline had just locked away all her important documents and finished an interview with New York Times about the success of this years fashion-week, she was just glad there was only one day left.  
"I wasn't really planning to, I can hear the bathtub calling my name" she sighed dreamily and Bonnie laughed.  
"Come on, you have to be there! Everyone is talking about you, Elena won't let me hear the end of it if I don't get you to come and Stefan and Matt is going to be there!" she exclaimed. Caroline hadn't seen Matt in months since he moved to LA, he was the star quarter-back and making a big name for himself, Stefan had been so busy with the opening of his new line of hotels recently she had barely talke to him the last month and Elena was jetsetting all over the world for her latest movie-projects.  
"Okay, I'll go!" she relented and looked down at her attire with a frown.  
"But I need to stop by my flat and freshen up first, I swear I've lost five pounds just in sweat the last week." she muttered and Bonnie scrunched up her nose in disgust.  
"Fine, meet you there in an hour?" Caroline checked her watch, she wasn't sure if she could make it to her apartment and to the club in an hour, she needed to shower and change clothes, redo her hair and make-up, it could take a while.  
"Make that two hours and I'll buy you dinner this weekend" she proposed and Bonnie mulled it over for a second before she agreed.  
"It's a deal" she smiled and the two of them left the building together, Caroline locked up after them and they exchanged good-nights with the night-guards before heading to separate town-cars.  
"See you in a few" Bonnie waved and slipped into the black mercedes no doubt sent by Kol. Caroline shook her head and got into her own car, closing her eyes and leaning her head against the seat as they pulled away from the curb and headed for her SoHo apartment. It had been a really long stressfull day and the last thing she wanted to do was go out partying, then again a few drinks might not be so bad, she could definetely need them.

* * *

"Hello darling" Kol greeted her with a kiss on the cheek as Bonnie joined him in the VIP section of his overcrowded club, she was surprised people could even breathe in there, that's how hot it was.  
"Hey babe" she settled down next to him and exchanged greetings with his friends and Rebekah who was looking as stunning as ever.  
"I hear tonight was an absolute success" he murmured into her ear and she leaned into him, relaxing for the first time all day.  
"It was, things went as smoothly as they could have. We had a few hiccups here and there but nothing we couldn't sort out" she smiled and closed her eyes.  
She was beyond tired, but she'd promised him she'd come and she'd promised to have a good time so she wouldn't fall asleep, he'd kill her.  
"I need a drink" she muttered and Kol called out for one of the bartenders to get her a strawberry margarita, her favorite drink after a long day.  
"Thank you" she kissed him softly and he wrapped his arm around her waist, going back to his conversation with Jeremy, a baseball player for the knicks and Elena and Katherines younger half-brother.

"Here you guys are!" Tyler Lockwood was the youngest major of New York to ever be selected and he was engaged to Carolines assistant Andrea Labonair, all their friends had found it a little bit awkward to begin with considering that ring was meant for Caroline at one point, but since Caroline seemed fine with it none of them voiced their thoughts.  
"Hey Ty" Bonnie smiled and stood up to give him a one-sided hug, Andrea smiled at her and Bonnie returned it. She didn't know the girl very well, but she seemed sweet enough and she was loyal to Caroline, as far as she was concerned that was enough for her.  
"Tyler, Andrea have a seat, grab a drink!" Kol said cheerily and Tyler shook hands with the people present, Stefan had yet to arrive and their was no sign of Matt either. She had spotted Elena outside arguing with Damon, like usual and Katherine was letting her hair loose down on the dancefloor. The only other person except for Matt and Stefan who was yet unaccounted for was Caroline and Bonnie was starting to think the blonde wouldn't even show.  
"Hey, I'm just gonna make a quick a call" she told Kol and he nodded absentmindedly, to caught up in his conversation to Jeremy to really catch her words. She rolled her eyes and moved to the back office where the music was barely audible, thank god for sound isolation.

"Hello?" Caroline sounded absent, probably busy getting ready.  
"Hey it's me, you on your way?" She heard doors opening, rattling of clothingracks and was that a blowdrier?  
"Hold on," Caroline told her and the line went silent for a few minutes.  
"Hey I'm back. Sorry, I just got out of the shower and now I can't decide what to wear. Blue knee length or red strapless?" she asked and Bonnie leaned back in Kols chair with a sigh.  
"What shoes are you wearing?"  
"Mmm, I was thinking my black Jimmy Choos" she answered after a seconds consideration and Bonnie pictured the matches in her head.  
"The strapless, is that the Prada you got from Stefan for your birthday?" Stefan knew Caroline better then anyone, they had dated in high school at one point but later figured they were better as friends, he knew her likes and dislikes and he'd recently taken on the roll as protective big brother even though it bothered the crap out of her.  
"Yep, that's the one." Bonnie nodded and inspected her nails, couldn't she just pick a dress and come already.  
"You should wear that, it makes your eyes pop" she said and Caroline laughed.  
"You mean my boobs" Bonnie smiled and looked up as the door opened and Kol stepped inside, closing it behind him to shut out the music again.  
"Red Prada it is" Caroline stated.  
"Great, so you'll be here soon?" Again the line went silent for a moment before her voice came back on the line.  
"What? Oh yeah, thirty minutes tops. I just need to do my hair and make-up and I'll be right there" she promised and Bonnie rolled her eyes. When Caroline said thirty minutes it was more like an hour unless it was an event she'd planned herself.  
"I got to go, but I'll see you soon" she said and hung up just as Kol rounded his desk and leaned back against, smiling at her.  
"Mhm, tell loverboy I said hi" Caroline teased and Bonnie frowned.  
"How did you know he was here?" Caroline snorted on the other end.  
"Girl please, you always get this "I'm in love" sound in your voice whenever he's around you" Bonnie gaped and Kol raised a brow, she shook her head at him and spun the chair away from him.  
"I do not!" she protested and all that greeted her was a chuckle.  
"Yes you do, but that's fine. I'm glad you're happy, you deserve to be. I'll see you in a bit" and then the line went dead, Bonnie scowled down at her phone before Kol turned the chair back around.

"Everything alright?" Bonnie sighed and stood up, wrapping her arms around his neck, his coming around to wrap loosely around her waist.  
"Yeah, Caroline says hi" she smiled and leaned her head against his chest, she was just so tired.  
"Did you want something?" she questioned and pulled back to look at him, he cocked a brow followed with his signature smirk, a family trait she'd realized after meeting Rebekah.  
"Except spending time with my gorgeous girlfriend?" she rolled her eyes and slapped his chest playfully.  
"You know what I mean" she muttered and he kissed her before pulling back and taking her hand.  
"My brothers Niklaus and Elijah just arrived, I want you to meet them" he explained and Bonnie tugged on his hand to stop him, feeling very nervous all of a sudden.  
"What if they don't like me?" he turned around to face her fully and cradled her face between his hands, leaning down to look her in the eyes.  
"They're going to love you, don't worry darling." She nodded and took his hand when he held it out her, clinging to him like her life depended on it.

* * *

"Damon! I'm done having this conversation with you!" Elena snapped and turned away from her boyfriend of two years, ready to head back into the club.  
"Elena!" he snapped and grabbed her hand, turning her back around.  
"What Damon?! I said we're done talking about this!" He sighed and closed his eyes, he didn't want his temper getting ahead of him.  
"Listen baby, I love you, you know I do. I just, I don't like seeing another guy with his hands all over you." She sighed and wrapped her arms around herself, it might be in the middle of the summer but the breeze was chilly and she wasn't wearing a jacket.  
"It's only a movie scene Damon, it's all just an act, you know that as well as anyone. You think I like seeing you with other girls? I don't, but I respect that it's your job and I trust that it's nothing more then that and I need you to trust me too." Damons face softened and he stepped closer so he could run his hands down her arms and up again.  
"I do trust you, I don't trust him" he clarified and she sighed as she looked him in the eyes.  
"We're back to this again? He doesn't like me in that way Damon, I wouldn't be doing this movie if he did." Damon forced back what he really felt on the subject, his relationship with Elena was to important to risk because of his jealousy, even though he felt it was justified.  
"Alright I'll drop it." He promised and she smiled before kissing him.  
"Thank you, I appreciate that. Can we go back inside now and celebrate with our friends? We're both leaving again tomorrow and I want to have one last fun night with the guys before we go." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her inside as a way of answer.

* * *

Klaus and Elijah was pleasantly surprised at how well their siblings were doing for themselves. Kols club was thriving and Rebekahs career was just taking off, they had both been at her show of course, but they hadn't had the chance to congratulate her afterwards. By the time they made it backstage she was surrounded by reporters and hardly had time for anything else.  
"Rebekah" Elijah smiled and wrapped his arms around his sister as she stood up to greet him with a kiss on the cheek.  
"Congratulations sister, you did well" he praised her and she smiled almost shyly up at him.  
"You really think so?" He pulled back to give her a once-over, taking the time to search the room for his youngest brother in the process.  
"I attended your show Rebekah, the crowd was ecstatic" his words made her blush and she looked over his shoulder to spot Niklaus smiling at her.

"Nik!" she broke out of Elijahs embrace and rushed her favorite brother, she couldn't believe they had flown all this way to see her show, both of them so busy with their own things back in NOLA.  
"Little sister!" he laughed and twirled her around, making her feel as if she was a little girl again.  
"I can't believe your here" she laughed and he put her back down on her feet, keeping his hands on her waist until she regained her balance.  
"We couldn't miss your grand debut could we?" he smiled and she returned, leaning against his side when he wrapped an arm around her.  
"Thank you," he kissed the top of her head and scanned his brothers establishment, he had really done well for himself in the city of lights, who would have thought? "Where's Kol?" As if his brother had heard him a door to what he assumed was a back office opened and Kol walked out hand in hand with a pretty darkskinned girl.  
"Speak of the devil" he murmured into Rebekahs hair and she laughed, she had missed her brother dearly.

"Nik, Elijah! Welcome to my humble establishment!" Kol grinned and gave both his brothers a hug, making sure not to squash Rebekah in the process and never letting go of Bonnie's hand.  
"Kol, I must admit I'm impressed" Klaus stated and Kol took on a look of pride, it was rare to receive compliments from his brother and he took it to heart whenever he did.  
"Of course you are" he played it cool and brought Bonnie in front of him, wrapping his arms around her from behind.  
"Bonnie, this is my brother Nik and the humble gentlemant in the suit is my brother Elijah. Gentlemen, this is my beautiful girlfriend Bonnie Bennett" Bonnie blushed and extended her hand, she had only ever met one other person from Kols family and that was Rebekah and she wasn't all that scary, his brothers on the other hand, really scary.  
"It's nice to meet you. Kol talks about you a lot" she said shyly and Elijah lifted her hand to his lips and placed a kiss on her knuckles, making her blush deepen even more.  
"The pleasure is all mine" Elijah smiled and pulled away, Klaus ignoring her hand entirely and placing a kiss on her cheek.  
"So you're the woman who's finally made my brother an honest man" he directed his smirk at Kol who scowled at him. Bonnie laughed and exchanged looks with Rebekah who grinned at the banter between the brothers, it was almost like the good old days.  
"Come on darling, I need a drink" Kol muttered and dragged Bonnie away to the bar, Bonnie gave them an awkward wave as he led her away.

"Must you always tease him Niklaus" Elijah sighed and Klaus clapped a hand on his shoulder.  
"Oh come on Elijah, I was just having a little fun with him." Elijah shook his head but undeniably he was smiling, he could not help himself, it had been so long since his family had gathered even though they were all not present.  
"Rebekah, Finn asked to know if you received his roses? He had a pressing meeting with the senate in the morning and could not be here to deliver them in person" he explained and Rebekah smiled with a nod.  
"I received them this morning, they're the main ornament on my mantle as we speak" she confirmed and Elijah smiled.  
"Good, he said to expect a call tomorrow evening" She was looking forward to that call, Finn and her may not be the closest of siblings but she still missed him.  
She had seen very little of him after he moved to Washington with his wife Sage and their two children.  
"I'll be waiting" A commotion on the dancefloor diverted their attention and they looked through the glass as two of the models were lifted out by two big bouncers, both of them kicking and screaming, yelling one obscenity after the other, directed at one another of course.  
"Thank god you didn't decide to become a model" Elijah mused quietly and Rebekah raised a brow.

"You have a problem with models?" They turned around to see Katherine walk in along with her sister and Damon, an expectant expression on her face as she looked at Elijah, Rebekah bit her lip to hold back the laugh that was threatening to escape at her brothers flabbergasted expression.  
He quickly collected himself and approached the model in question.  
"Forgive me miss, it was not my intention to insult you" he apologized and Katherine looked him up and down, Rebekah wanted to gag at the pleased expression on her face.  
"You can make it up to me and buy me a drink" she told him more then suggested and for some reason Elijah seemed to like her approach.  
"I'll buy you several if you wish" he stated calmly and held out a hand.  
"I'm Elijah" Katherine cocked her head and ignored his hand, stepping right into his space.  
"Elijah, hmm" she let the name roll of her tongue and she liked the way it sounded, and she definetely liked the way he looked.  
"I'm Katherine" she quipped and walked past him towards the bar where Bonnie was doing her best to calm down a still pouting Kol.  
"Careful brother, she seems like a mouthful" Klaus warned good-naturedly and Elijah watched the model with interest.  
"Yes, she does" he said and left them to join Katherine by the bar.

"And you Bekah, any men in your life?" Rebekah bit her lip and tensed, she did have a man in her life actually but she wasn't sure if she was ready to make introductions yet, and he hadn't even come yet.  
"Well, there is this one. Nothing serious really, he doesn't live here" she explained and Klaus narrowed his eyes.  
"Is he here now? I want to meet him" she shook her head and stepped away from her brother.  
"He hasn't arrived yet. Please be nice to him Nik, I really like him" she pleaded and he scoffed.  
"When have I ever not been nice to any of your boyfriends?" he queried and she gaped at him, he couldn't be serious?!  
"You have never been nice Nik! Actually you have succeded in scaring away most of them!" she told him and he grinned.  
"Yes, I have haven't I? Perks of being the older brother I assume" he mused and walked away from her, leaving her worried and seething, she would kill him if he did anything to ruin her relationship with Matt. It was still fresh and she didn't want her brother jeopardizing it.

* * *

Stefan was leaning against the wall outside of Carolines building, he and Matt and Caroline had arranged to go to Kols club together after receiving a heated phonecall from Caroline where she yelled at him for being absent the last month. He'd smiled and called Matt to arrange it, the quarterback was staying in one of his hotels and he'd agreed easily, next to Caroline Forbes and Stefan Salvatore he might be able to get away from most of the papparazzis who never stopped pestering him. A black towncar pulled up and a second later the door to Carolines building opened and she stepped out, she looked stunning, then again Caroline never left her apartment looking less then flawless.  
"Hey there stranger" he smiled and pushed away from the wall, Caroline placed a hand on her hip and glared at him she quickly turned it into a smile.  
"I missed you" she sighed and stepped into his embrace, she really had missed him, he was her one steady point in her hectic life, she didn't know how she would have survived without him.  
"Yeah, you too. How are you, how's Enzo?" Caroline sighed and shook her head. Enzo was her on-again-off-again boyfriend and he was currently in London shooting a cover for Bazar magasine. He was probably hooking up with some model as they spoke, safe to say they were off a the moment.  
"I'm good, a little tired but what else is new? Enzo is... Enzo is good I think. I haven't talked to him in a while, he's in London." Stefan nodded and led her over to the car, she frowned and looked around.  
"Where's Matt? I thought we were all going together" Stefan ushered her inside and climbed in after her.  
"He is, we're picking him up at his hotel" Caroline rolled her eyes and looked at him knowingly.  
"You mean _your _hotel. I talked to him on my way back from the show" Stefan smiled and told the driver where to go before picking up his conversation with Caroline.  
"Yeah, I put him up in one of the suites. I thought he might be staying with Rebekah, but I guess they're taking it slow." Matt and Rebekah had met on one of Caroline's events a couple of months ago and hit it off immediately, they looked good together and so far they'd managed to keep their relationship on the down-low.  
"Good for them, nothing good comes out of rushing things" she was speaking from experience. She'd met Enzo on the set of Elenas last movie where he was doing a piece for E!, he was charming and flirty and definetely a bad-boy, the warning bells should have sounded then already. He'd asked her out and she didn't want to be rude and it had all gone down-hill from there. For the first couple of weeks they were blissfully happy, but then they're lives had gotten in the way and he'd fallen back to his bad habits of sleeping around and she had lost herself in her work. Now they were together whenever he was in town and not together when he wasn't and it worked for them, but she wanted more, she didn't want to admit it but it hurt knowing he was sleeping with other girls.

"Hello friends" Matt greeted them as he joined them in the car and Caroline wrapped her arms around his neck, it had been so long since she'd seen him.  
"Matty, I'm so glad you could make it!" she grinned and took hold of his hand, he smiled warmly at her and greeted Stefan with one of those manly hand shakes she would never understand.  
"Wouldn't miss it for the world. You looked great on that catwalk by the way" Caroline blushed and turned her head away, she hadn't realized he was there, but she should have known. Of course he'd be there to support Rebekah on her big accomplishment.  
"What's this? You're a model now?" Stefan asked with amused surprised earning himself a snort very unlike Caroline.  
"God no, it was only that one time. One of Rebekahs models failed to show and she forced me to step in" she explained and Stefan laughed.  
"That sounds like Bekah alright" it was strange how they all had become so fast friends with the aspiring designer, of course it helped that she was sister to Bonnies boyfriend but the general agreement was that they liked Rebekah better then Kol overall.  
"Speaking of; she just sent me this weird text" Matt informed them with a frown and pulled out his phone, Caroline snatched the phone away from him and read the text, laughing when she caught the meaning behind it.  
"What?"  
"Apparently Rebekahs brothers are in town, she's worried they'll scare you away" she explained and Matt looked from Caroline to his phone and back again.  
"You got all that from that text?" Caroline shrugged and crossed her legs.  
"I speak fluent girl" she winked and both men shook their head, girl was a language they would never speak fluently and both of them knew it. 

"We're here" Stefan declared as the car rolled to a stop and reached out his hand for Caroline.  
"Ready?" he looked between Matt and Caroline and didn't open the door until the both nodded their agreement.


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is part two of the after-party, old friends get back together and revelations are made. I hope you like it, and from here on out each chapter will be dedicated to different characters and how they came to be where they are today. Old relationships will be revealed and I'm gonna take it back years so you'll see just how they developed into the person they are today.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

You'd think that after living her whole life among New Yorks elite she'd be used to the cameras and press by now, but she was still caught off guard as the firs camera flashed in front of her eyes and she blinked to gather her bearings.

"You okay?" Stefan helped her out of the car and wrapped his hand around her waist, shielding her with his own body as they tried to get around the crowd of papparazzis and find their escape inside Kols club.  
"Stefan! Caroline! Are you back together again? Are you pursuing a modeling career Caroline? Do you have any comments on your brothers drugabuse Stefan?" The questions kept coming at them from all sides, Matt stayed right behind Caroline, she reached a hand back to him and he squeezed it reassuringly.  
"Matt is there any truth in the rumors that you're dating again? How's your sister, is she still in rehab?" Caroline glanced back at Matt to see he was playing it just as cool as the rest of them, she knew his sister was a touchy subject and she was afraid he might snap but he kept his calm until they made it to the mile-long line outside of the club and the bouncers rushed to their aid, pushing back the reporters and paparrazzies.

"Thank god," Caroline breathed once they made it inside and let go of Matt's hand, he looked distracted and she knew he was thinking about his sister Vicky who was finalizing her latest rehab treatment in L.A.  
"Hey, you know better then to let them get to you" she told him and he blinked out of his trance and smiled at her, but it didn't reach his eyes.  
"I know, I just worry you know. Vicky isn't cut out for this life Care, all the money and partying its not good for her." Caroline had seen Vicky go down the dark-path after their dad died and their mother became more and more absent, drowning her sorrows in alcohol whenever she was home.  
"I know, but Vickys tough Matt, she'll get through this. She's lucky she has you" she told him and she meant it, Caroline imagined that if she ever had a brother he'd be like Matt, kind, caring, slightly overprotective.  
"Let's find the rest, I need a drink!" Caroline exclaimed suddenly and her two male companions exchanged amused glances, so it was one of those nights.

_Will. 's ' Gettin' Dumb _were blaring through the speakers as Caroline danced her way through the crowd, musing over how fitting that song felt right now, she had been working her ass off for the last few months and now she needed to let loose. Of course she still had to make sure things went smoothly tomorrow so she wasn't planning on getting loaded, but a few drinks couldn't hurt, right?  
"Watch your step!" Stefan called over the loud music and helped her up the first step of the stairs leading up to Kols VIP-lounge, she glanced down at the crowd and frowned when she spotted two familiar faces by the bar. She wasn't sure what Kols policy on minor was, but she was pretty sure Davina and Monica weren't supposed to be there, last time she checked they were only sixteen.  
Caroline was so caught up in her own thoughts she didn't watch where she was going and before she knew what had happened she tripped on the treshold of the VIP-room and she saw the floor coming at her in a rapid speed.  
"Oh crap!" She closed her eyes in panic and braced herself for the impact, but it never came. Instead she found herself steadied by a pair of strong arms and she opened her eyes slowly, she was met with the bluest eyes she had ever seen and they were matched by a dimpled smile of amusement.  
"Careful love" his smooth accented voice carried to her and she blushed when she realized she'd just literally fallen into a this strangers arms.  
"I'm so sorry!" she apologized and straightened, suddenly very aware that she was still standing in the circle of his arms, her chest pressed up against his, his hands on her waist and hers splayed out on his shoulders, their faces just inches away from one another.  
"No worries love" he smiled and she swallowed nervously before stepping back and he dropped his arms from her waist. She looked around to see Stefan had joined Damon, Elena and Bonnie over at the bar, Matt had gone off in the corner with Rebekah and Kol was speaking to Katherine and some other distinguished man Caroline hadn't met before.  
"Have we met before?" she questioned uncertain, there was something so familiar about him but she could have sworn there was something about him.  
"I would have remembered if we had. I never forget a pretty face" he smirked and Caroline cocked a brow, so he was a charmer huh? What was it with her and hot british charmers anyway, something was obviously wrong with her.  
"Hmm, let me guess; blonde hair, blue eyes, british accent. You have to be another Mikaelson" she said with a little to much flare and folded her arms, he smirked at her and looked around the room, glancing at the rest of his siblings.  
"Whatever gave you that idea?" she laughed and shook her head.  
"Well, you look like Rebekah and Kol sports the same sleezy charm" he raised a brow and she grinned at him.  
"Sleezy ey? My brother hit on you even though he's dating your friend?" Caroline glanced over at Kol and saw him staring across the bar at Bonnie.  
"They weren't dating at the time, I'm the one who introduced them actually. Kol hired me to plan his grand opening, Bonnie was my plus one at the opening night." She explained and Klaus looked at her in surprise. Kols club had opened nearly a year ago and he mentioned anything about a girlfriend until a couple of months ago, was he really that worried about their opinion of her?  
"So you're the resident matchmaker" he stated and she shook her head with a small smile.  
"Trust me I'm not. I can't even get my own lovelife figured out, let alone anyone elses" she mused before her eyes widened and she looked away embarassed.  
"I'm sorry, I have no idea why I told you that" he laughed and placed a hand on the small of her back, a bold move she hadn't anticipated but it wasn't entirely unwelcome.  
"Let me get you a drink..." he trailed off, they hadn't exchanged names yet.  
"Caroline" her voice was soft and her smile small but open.  
"Niklaus, but my friends call me Klaus" he offered and she made sure not to trip over her own feet when he guided her towards the bar.

* * *

"I can't believe this moron is actually your brother" Katherine mused disbelieving and Elijah chuckled, he had felt the same way many times over the years really.  
"Hey! Unless you've forgotten _Kat, _you are currently in my establishment and if you want to stay here then I suggest you keep your insults to a minimum" Kol snapped obviously insulted and Katherine looked at Elijah before rolling her eyes.  
"You know you're more PMS then me Kol, and I'm a girl" she stated and Elijah watched the banter between the two of them with great amusement, Katherine and Kol were worse then Rebekah and Kol had ever been, he wondered if this was a common occurence.  
"Please Katherine, you'd have to have a heart to be affected by PMS and sadly you seem to be lacking one" Kol said and Elijahs jaw hardened, his brother had never been deliberately cruel earlier but he calmed himself when it seemed like Katherine found it all very amusing.  
"Oh come on Mikaelson, you know you love me" she teased and Kol snorted, turning around to no doubt share another snarky comment until they were distracted by the arrival of a new couple.

"Caroline, there you are" Kol sighed and welcomed her with a kiss on each cheek, the two of them had become fast friends, even though they considered each other more of that annoying younger sibling you loved so much.  
"Bonnies been searching for you every five minutes" he sighed and Caroline smiled, she may have underestimated the time it took to get ready just a little.  
"And you haven't kept her busy, what kind of a boyfriend are you anyway?" she joked and bumped his shoulder, he shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, he looked tired and less of the constant energetic bundle of sarcasm she knew and loved.  
"Hey," she said more quietly and forced him to look at her.  
"What's going on?" he looked at her for a long time before he grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the bar and into his backoffice. Caroline looked over her shoulder and shrugged at Klaus when he raised a questioning brow, she had no idea what this was about.

As soon as they were behind closed doors he let go of her hand and started pacing the floor in long strides, making even Caroline anxious.  
"Kol, what's wrong with you?" she demanded and he stopped to face her for a second before he picked up his pacing, muttering unintelligble words to him self and running his hands anxiously through his hair ever five seconds or so.  
"Kol!" she snapped and he spun to face her.  
"I'm going to propose to Bonnie!" he exclaimed and exhaled heavily, clearly he'd been keeping that inside for a long time. Caroline just stood there and stared at him, completely in shock and stunned by his big revelation and she had no idea what to do with that vital piece of life-changing information.  
"Well?" he questioned nervously and folded his arms before he let them drop down by his side again, Caroline blinked out of her stupor and the meaning of his words finally settled and she let out a delighted squeal before slapping a hand over her mouth so she wouldn't draw attention from outside the door.  
"Oh my god Kol! This is amazing, let me see it!" she demanded and hurried across the floor to him, he looked confused when she held out her hand and she sighed in exasperation.  
"The ring dumbass, let me see it" he had the decency to look embarassed before he fished out a black velvet box from the inside of his jacket and opened it, placing it in Carolines palm. Her eyes widened and she inspected the ring in awe, it was absolutely stunning. She lifted it out of the box and brought it up in front of her eyes so she could examine it properly. The band was made out of white gold with a beautiful inscription on the inside "_forever yours and forever mine" _was carved in a delicate scripture and it made Caroline's breath hitch, she hoped someone would love her enough to get her a ring with that kind of inscription some day. The ring was topped of with a five carat diamond surrounded by a perfect circle of shiny blue sapphires.  
"Oh Kol" she breathed and kissed his cheek, she was becoming so emotional it wasn't even funny.  
"She's going to love it" she promised and placed the ring back in its box, handing it back to Kol who looked relieved.  
"You really think so?" Caroline smiled and took one of his hands in both of hers.  
"I know she will" she promised him and stepped back to look at him again.  
"When are you going to do it?" He sighed and gave her a secretive smile.  
"See, that's the real reason I wanted to speak with you" he said and walked over to the door to make sure it was locked.

"I want to do it on our one year anniversary next weekend" he explained and Caroline couldn't believe that annoying arrogant Kol could be so romantic.  
"And I want you to help me plan it so it's absolutely perfect, I need this night to be just right" Caroline had already started planning inside her head, she was seeing dinner on the roof under the full-moon, red roses and a four-course meal. She even had Bonnies attire picked out already.  
"Of course I'll do it! Where were you thinking, time of day, I need details Kol" she told him and he laughed and picked her up and twirled her around, causing her to laugh with him.  
"How about we have lunch this week and talk details then?" he suggested and she couldn't disagree with that idea, now might not be the best time to go over details, she knew how caught up in these things she could get.  
"You have yourself a date" she grinned and he put her down, wrapping her in a warm embrace before they both promised not to mention a word to anyone about this until it was all set.  
"Come on, let's get back to the party" he told her and unlocked the door, holding it open for her and letting her pass before him.

* * *

Klaus watched as Caroline reappeared with a barely contained grin on her face and his brother shook his head in amusement, he caught Bonnie looking at them with a frown and wondered if he detected jealousy in her gaze. It was strange seeing his brother in a steady relationship, Kol hadn't had a steady girlfriend in years but he seemed to be truly in love with this Bonnie character.  
He was caught of guard when Caroline approached him and out of nowhere kissed him passionately before she pulled back like nothing had happened. Everyone was gaping at her, including him before she turned to face the bartender, ordering herself a shot of vodka and telling the bartender to put it on Kols tab.  
"God I love weekends" she sighed happily and looked up at him as if she expected him to agree and after a moment to collect himself he did.  
"Indeed" he smirked wolfishly and she rolled her eyes.  
"I want another drink, feel like buying me one?" their was no avoiding the expectation in her voice and he turned to the bartender amused and told him to bring the lady whatever she wanted.  
"Thank you" she quipped when the bartender handed her a margarita, his eyes were locked on her cherry-red lips as they closed around the straw and the moan she made as the drink filled her mouth was so erotic it should be illegal.  
"This is seriously better then an orgasm, almost" she corrected and he swallowed, everything she did and said seemed erotic to him at the moment and he threw back his drink to get himself under control, he didn't know what it was about this women but he wanted her, badly.

* * *

Rebekah was sitting in a cornerbooth with Matts arms wrapped around her and watched the scene between her brother and Caroline unfolding in amusement, she recognized that look on Nik's face that said he'd just discovered a challenge and she was eager to see how this would play out. She smiled as Matt kissed her neck softly and leaned back against his chest, placing her own hands over his.  
"Thank you for coming tonight" she murmured and looked over her shoulder to see him smiling lovingly at her, Matt was another thing she had Caroline to thank for.  
"I wouldn't have missed it for the world" his voice was soft and his arms tightened around her, she closed her eyes and listened to his steady heartbeat, all she really wanted to do was go home and fall asleep in his arms.

"Hey Ty" she opened one eye to see Tyler and his bride-to-be settling down in the booth across from them, Andrea was drinking something blank and she was positive it wasn't Vodka.  
"Congratulations" she smiled at the brunette as the boys started their usual chatter about how they'd been, it was the same every time they met. Rebekah knew Matt and Tyler had been best friends since they were kids, then the whole thing with Tyler and Caroline had ruined it but now they were rekindling their relationship.  
Andrea smiled shyly and shrugged.  
"Thanks, you too" Rebekah closed her eyes again and let the low beat of the music and the chatter of voices everywhere lull her to a light sleep.

* * *

Stefan stepped back into the lounge after having to take an important call and saw Elena standing by herself looking over the dancefloor, Damon was nowhere to be seen and he wondered if the couple had gotten into it again. Last he heard Damon was giving her a hard time because of her new movie where she had to do a sex-scene and Damon was convinced her counter-part had a thing for her.  
"Hey," he said and placed a hand softly on her back, she turned to him with a soft smile, she looked tired and he supposed she was, her career didn't leave much room for relaxation.  
"Stefan, it's good to see you" he looked down at the crowded dancefloor and shook his head, he wasn't one to pass up a good party, but dancing had never been his thing.  
"How are you Elena?" she knew there was more behind his words and she appreciated his concern, he was the only other person who knew Damon as well as she did, even though she tended to turn to Caroline whenever she had relationship-issues with her boyfriend. Caroline had dated Damon senior year of high school and knew how jealous he could be, come to think about it he'd almost punched Stefan once because he thought he and Caroline were sneaking around behind his back.  
Elena couldn't help but smile when she remenisced about their High School days. Caroline had dated Stefan, Matt and Damon and then she'd started seeing Tyler in college and they were together three years before things went to hell, and she wasn't much better herself. In high school she'd dated Matt for two years, then she'd been with Stefan and she'd snuck around behind his back with Damon, while he was with Caroline, it was hard to admit but she had been even more of a slut then her twin had been in high school. Looking at the Pierce sisters now, no one believed Elena to be the wild-child back in the day, but she had been, she was just better at covering it up then Kat had ever been. Kat lived for bad publicity, any publicity really and Elena didn't, she was eccstatic if she woke up to find her name was left out of the gossip columns just once.  
"I'm good I think. Damon is trying to support me, but he keeps insisting Liam has a thing for me" she sighed and Stefan nodded, he'd already figured as much.  
Just last week E! News had showed a video of Damon punching Liam outside a club in Hollywood, that was Damon for you right there.  
"You know how he is Elena, just give him some time, he'll get over it. I could talk to him if you want" he suggested and she shook her head.  
"No it's fine, but I appreciate the gesture" she grabbed his hand and leaned her head on his shoulder, she had missed spending time with Stefan, he was always the composed one, the one who made them all feel normal when they needed to.

* * *

Bonnie leaned back against the bar and watched Caroline laughing and flirting with Kols brother, a smile spreading over her face, it was nice to see her friend enjoy herself for once, even if it was for just one night.  
"There you are darling" Kol pulled her into his arms and she wound her arms around his neck, she was still curious about what Kol and Caroline had been talking about, especially considering Caroline's currently behavior who was very much unlike her usual controlled personality, Caroline had the tendency to freak if she discovered so much as a hair out of place.  
"Hey baby, what were you and Caroline talking about?" He smiled secretly and distracted her with a kiss and every time she tried to bring it up he'd use the same means of distraction to shut her up before she could finish her sentence.  
"Hey Kol!" Both of them turned to glance at Caroline who had at some point leaned back against Klaus who had one arm wrapped loosely around her waist, Bonnie noticed how her friend looked awfully comfortable in the older Mikaelsons arms.  
"I forgot to ask you earlier, but what's your policy on underage customers?" she questioned and Kol frowned confused, everyone knew he had a strict no-minors policy at his club, he wouldn't have his clubs reputation tarnished by underage drinkers who wanted to party with the grown-ups.  
"I don't have a policy on that Caroline because there aren't any minors in my club" he drawled and Caroline shook her head and pointed to the dancefloor.  
"Yes there is, I spotted Davina Claire and Monique Deveraux by the messanin bar when I got here, and they're only sixteen" she informed him and Bonnie watched his features morph into a mask of anger and panic.  
"You couldn't have bloody let me know earlier?" he demanded and excused himself to take care of the situation before the press got wind of it, he didn't need his name or his club mentioned in an article about clubs not checking their clientells i.d's or not showing them away if they were too young.  
"Sorry," Caroline shrugged and waved Bonnie over as Kol made his exit, stopping for a second to glance around the room until his eyes landed on his personal bodyguard Kaleb who stood off by the bar and watched the entrance to the lounge like a hawk.  
"Kaleb!" Kol snapped and the six feet two tough built twenty something strode over to Kol and followed him down to the main club where they all saw him hissing at his staff, especially the bouncers who all tightened their expression and began and search for minors and people with fake I.D's.

"Is he always so tense?" Klaus asked no one in particular while watching his brother conversing with the man he'd called Kaleb.  
"What this? That's nothing" Bonnie mused and folded her arms as she watched her boyfriend boss people around.  
"He lives for bossing people around, even when we're at home he can't help himself, what do you think most of our arguments are about?" Caroline bit her lip to hold back a laugh and Klaus turned to look at Kols girlfriend in surprise.  
"_Your _home? You live together?" Bonnies face visibly paled and she looked around nervously, she thought Kol had informed his family of that at least.  
"Ehm, yeah. Almost three months now" Caroline could see how uncomfortable Bonnie was and reached out a hand to her, squeezing it sympathetically, no wonder Bonnie was nervous when Kol hadn't even been man enough to tell his family they were living together.  
"Good for him" Klaus smiled and both Caroline and Bonnie frowned.  
"I'm glad Kol finally found enough sense to let go of something good when he has it" he explained and this time when Bonnie blushed it wasn't because she was embarassed, she just sucked at taking compliments. Caroline looked up at him with an unreadable expression, but Bonnie could see that if she hadn't liked him already she definetely did now.

* * *

"Tyler, I know you haven't seen Matt in a while but I'm tired so I'm gonna head home. You can stay," Andrea said and stood up, Tyler stood up with her and placed his hands on her hips, he was worried she could tell.  
"Are you sure? I could go with you" she shook her head and lifted her lips to kiss him softly before she turned to wave goodbye to Matt, smiling when she looked at the sleeping Rebekah.  
"Stay, I'll be fine. Bye Matt, it was nice seeing you again" Matt nodded and offered her a smile, readjusting Rebekah gently so not to wake her.  
"Okay, I'll see you at home" Tyler told her and kissed her again before she pulled away and made her way over to the bar to say goodbye to Caroline and Bonnie, the two women she felt the most comfortable with of everybody, she was relatively new to the gang and hadn't exactly gotten to know everybody all that well yet.

"Hey guys, I'm gonna call it a night, but I'll see you tomorrow right?" Caroline and Bonnie exchanged looks and hooked their arms through hers.  
"If you think we're letting you walk out of here alone you're sadly mistaken missy, I mean seriously these people can get crazy" Caroline said seriously and excused herself to an amused Klaus before walking Andrea out of the lounge along with Bonnie.  
"You really don't need to do this, I can make it to the car on my own" Andrea protested but the girls wouldn't have it.  
"Shut up Andy, we're walking you. Deal with it." she smiled and leaned her head against Caroline, she was the best boss a girl could have not to mention friend.

They couldn't walk one inch without some sweaty stranger grinding up against them, Caroline made a face of disgust when she was hit in the face by a clammy hand, neither Bonnie or Andy were able to contain their laugh.  
"Ugh, disgusting!" Caroline called over the loud music and pushed through people when they were coming up on the exit. All three of them stumbled out laughing and relished the chilly night-air, it was a nice change from the clammy air inside.

"Thank you guys" Andy said and hugged both of them before they helped her into Tylers car who was waiting to take her home. Caroline glanced down at her cell and she couldn't believe the time, had she been there three hours already?  
"See you tomorrow!" Caroline smiled before shutting the door behind her assistant, hooking arms with Bonnie as they both walked back to lean against the wall. It was almost as crowded outside as inside, but at least it was possible to breathe.

"You seem to be hitting it off with Klaus" Bonnie said casually and Caroline turned to look at her, not impressed by her feigned disinterest in the least.  
"I think I'm gonna go home with him tonight" she informed after a seconds consideration and Bonnie sputtered before she looked at her with wide eyes.  
"Are you serious?" Caroline shrugged and wrapped her arms around herself.  
"Why not? He's good looking, charming and nice enough and I have a feeling he's great in bed. Besides, it's just this one nigt right? What could it hurt?" Bonnie turned her head away and looked across the street, she didn't want to voice her theory that Caroline was only doing this to forget about Enzo, but then again maybe she should. Enzo was an ass anyway, she deserved better then that.  
"Good for you" Bonnie said finally and Caroline grabbed her hand, grateful not be judged. They just stood there after that, enjoying the cool air and the tiny bit of silence the outside had to offer before they headed back inside again to spend the rest of the night with their friends.

* * *

One hour later and the club was clearing out, Tyler had taken off not to long after Caroline and Bonnie returned and Elena and Damon had followed right behind him, they both had plains to catch in the morning and it looked like they had some crap they needed to work out.  
Elijah and Katherine had settled down next to Matt who was still cradling a sleeping Rebekah in his arms, and while Katherine seemed beyond bored, Elijah and Matt had struck up what seemed to be a pleasent conversation.  
Caroline was helping Bonnie throw away dirty napkins and carrying used glasses to the bar, much to Kols chagrin. He was talking quietly with Klaus and scowled at the two of them the entire time, Caroline was sure his scowl was mainly directed at her because he was worried she'd spill his secret to Bonnie.  
"Look at those two," Caroline said quietly and motioned towards Rebekah and Matt, they were still in the beginning faces of their relationship very much in love, Caroline knew it was a fragile thing what they had. It was mostly touch and go, but she knew Matt really liked Rebekah and the fact that he'd come down from L.A to support her spoke miles.  
"Yeah, I hope they make it work" Bonnie smiled and carried a tower of glasses over to the bar, Caroline leaned back and looked down at the now empty dancefloor, she felt sorry for whoever was responsible for cleaning the club, it was a mess.  
"Hey Care," Stefan leaned back against the bar with his hands in his pocket and an absent look, clearly his mind was somewhere else.  
"Hey, did you have fun tonight?" Stefan turned his head and offered a tired smile, she was worried he was wearing himself out with all the work he'd been doing lately, he was almost worse then her when it came to his hotels.  
"Yeah, it was good spending time with you guys again. All though I've got to say Care, that kiss between you and Klaus" She threw her head back and laughed, she hadn't exactly thought through that move.  
"I know, I know. You can't blame a girl for having some fun though" she winked and he held his hands up making it clear he wasn't judging.  
"I'm not judging, you should go for it" he nudged her shoulder and she leaned against him, god she hated that they were both so busy all the time, she really missed spending time with him.  
"Thanks, maybe I will" she told him and pulled away from him when Kol and Klaus approached them.

"You ready to go home darling?" Kol asked and extended his hand to Bonnie. Everyone else was getting up too, Rebekah was still sleeping in Matts arms, her head resting on his shoulder and Elijah had draped his suit jacket over Katherines shoulders, for once Kat was sporting a genuine sweet smile.  
"Yeah, I'm so ready for bed" Bonnie sighed and took his hand, Kol pulled her in close and raised a brow and she slapped him on the shoulder.  
"Not like that" she muttered embarassed and he chuckled before kissing her cheek.  
"You heard the lady people, get a move on!" Kol ordered with a smile and pulled her with him. Caroline smiled when Klaus wrapped a hand around her waist and led her towards the door, she winked at Stefan over her shoulder and he shook his head with a smile.

"Your place or mine?" Caroline murmured outside of the club, Klaus hands was wrapped around her middle and she was playing with the collar of his shirt.  
"I'm sharing a suite with my brother" he told her and she laughed as her car pulled up.  
"My place then" she said and grabbed his hand and pulled him with her to her car, she placed a hand on his chest to stop him before opening the door.  
"Your cool with this being a onetime thing right, no strings?" He leaned in a kissed her as way of answer and she was fine with that, no matter what happened after that she knew she was going to have a great night. She could worry about the consequences later.  
"Let's go" she breathed and pulled open the door, he held her hand to help her inside before he got in after her and closed the door, they would both enjoy this, he'd make sure of that.


	3. Chapter 3

"Caroline Forbes, I have a reservation for two," Today was the day she was helping Kol plan his epic proposal to Bonnie and she was both exhilarated and nervous as hell. She had been waiting for this very moment for two years, she still wasn't sure it was really happening, but she couldn't be happier for two of her best friends.  
"Right this way miss Forbes," the chipper hostes picked up two menues and stepped out from behind the hostdesk, leading Caroline through the restaurant towards the closed section in the back. Up until three days ago she didn't have a hope in the world to get a table in the closed section, but after her success at arranging NYFW she'd become somewhat of a high profile client, and considering the delicate topic of this lunch meeting, privacy was crucial. She didn't want anyone leaking the proposal to the press, not until it was all done and Bonnie had said yes, she didn't want anyone to ruin that special moment for her best friend.

"Is this alright?" The hostess showed her a private booth in the far back of the closed section, it had a perfect vantage point to the front door, and perfect for privacy.  
"It's perfect, thank you," Smiling, the hostes put the menues on the table as Caroline slid behind the table, facing the front so she would spot Kol when he arrived, and pulling up her notebook filled with ideas for how Kol should pop the big question.  
"A waiter will arrive to take your orders when your companion arrives, in the meantime, do you perhaps want something to drink?"  
"Water please," Nodding, the hostes left her alone and Caroline opened her notebook and went over her thoughts and ideas, this was a really big deal and she so badly wanted to make it special for both Bonnie and Kol.

"Caroline," Looking up from her notebook, she rose from the table to give Kol a hug when he came five minutes later, and he looked almost as nervous as she felt.  
"You look nervous," Scowling at her, he loosened his tie and leaned back in his seat with his arms spread on the armrest, giving the female waitress a forced smile when she arrived at their table and he didn't answer Caroline's statement before the waitress had left with their orders. "Of course I'm bloody nervous, I'm about to ask a woman to marry me, do you have any idea what level of commitment marriage is?" Suppressing a smile, Caroline poured water into both of their glasses from the crystal decanter the waitress had left on their table, and took a sip of her own glass. Kol was cute when he was nervous, adorable actually, it was refreshing to see this new side of him.  
"Only a lifelong one," _Hopefully..._

"What exactly did you have in mind, other than the day I mean?" Kol sighed and ran a hand through his hair, and Caroline noticed how tired he looked, as if he hadn't slept in days.  
"I don't know, you know Bonnie better than anyone, you tell me," He was grumpy too, definetely hadn't slept in a while.  
"Alright, first things first, drop the attitude smartass. This is your proposal, not mine. Yes, I know Bonnie better than anyone else, but I'm not the one proposing to her, so give me something to work with here." Bonnie was a simple girl at heart, she wasn't the kind of woman who would want an extravagant and public proposal, she'd want something that was private, a moment with just the two of them that was romantic and sweet and heartfelt.  
"Shit, I'm sorry Caroline. The last couple of days have been hectic, my brothers are still here and it seems as if Klaus may be staying a while, he's thinking of opening a hotel in the city and looking for real estate as we speak." Caroline hated the way her heart fluttered in her chest, how her palms became damp and her blood heated at the mention of Klaus. They had one night of incredible sex, the chemistry between them had been unbelivable and when he'd asked her out for breakfast the morning after, she had never laughed so much as she did when she listened to him tell her childhood stories about Kol and Rebekah. Still, what they had was a passing thing, a one night stand and nothing more, she shouldn't be reacting this way.

"It's fine, just take a deep breath and settle yourself, get into the right state of mind and the reason why we're here right now. Your proposal to Bonnie," Caroline had plans with Bonnie later, they were going to have a girls night, maybe invite Kat and Rebekah to come along if they decided to go out for drinks, but nothing was settled yet. This however, this needed to be settled by the end of this lunch.  
"Right, Bonnie. I was thinking along the lines of a late dinner on the penthouse terrace, maybe hire some musicians and dance before proposing at desserts." It was almost a perfect proposal, except for one thing- "No musicians, Bonnie won't be comfortable with that and she's going to see right through it. You have a top notch audio system in your apartment, that's all you need for music. In terms of food, were you planning to cook?" Caroline knew Kol couldn't cook to save his life, which would make it that much more romantic if he actually took the time to learn how to do it, and learn how to prepare a couple of simple dishes to make the night perfect.  
"Caroline, we both know I'm no chef. I can't even make frozen pizza without burning it," Smiling at the incredulous look he was giving her, she dug out her planner and flipped to the back where she kept all the numbers for her contacts listed.

"Listen, I know a guy, he's a chef and he owes me a favor. He can teach you to make a few courses that will blow Bonnie's mind and if you really want to make an impression, I might convince him to teach you how to make a suffle." It was no easy task to ask of him, she was well aware of that, but she had faith that if he put his mind to it he could do it with flying colors.  
"He must be really good if he can teach me to cook," She laughed at his disgruntled expression, waiting to pick up their conversation until after the waitress had dropped off their food and walked away.  
"He's the best, trust me Kol, you can do this. I have plans with Bonnie tonight, she's going to be out of the house for hours and I can have Sebastian stop by your place in the mean time. I promise you by the end of the night, you'll be on your way to becoming a real chef," Cutting off a piece of his medium rare steak, he chewed it down and the expression on his face said he was deep in thought.  
"A suffle, really?" Nodding encouragingly she lifted her fork to her mouth, the chicken salad was out of this world, maybe she should hear with the owners if they ever did catering for parties.  
"Alright, I'll do it," And Caroline was once again the queen of all event planning.

* * *

Stefan Salvatore knew who Klaus Mikaelson was, not as Rebekah or Kol's brother, but as the hotel tycoon with hotel chains all over the world and a reputation of being a shark in the industry. He had never met the man personally, not before the party at Kol's nightclub, but now he was in his office and they were talking business. When his father had died and left Stefan in charge of his entire empire, he hadn't wanted the responsibility, but he had also known that to put Damon at the rodder would be to destroy everything his father had spent his entire life building. Giuseppe Salvatore had been a bastard, the only thing he ever really cared about was his hotels, and he'd considered letting it all crumble just to give his father one last "fuck you", but he hadn't been able to do it.

Expanding the hotel over seas on the other hand, that was something he had wanted to do for a long time but hadn't had the opportunity too, until now.  
"Why me? Out of every other hotel chain in this city, why choose mine?" That was the one thing he couldn't quite figure out. Stefan had four hotels in the city, one more currently under construction, in addition he also had about three dozen other hotels across the country, but even so he wasn't consider among the top tier. Klaus on the other hand had more than two hundred hotels all over the world, if he wanted to get into business with anyone, it would make more sense for him to seek out people like the Hilton's or Trump.  
"You have vision, Stefan. Also, you are already familiar with several members of my family and they all speak very highly of you. I'm not just looking to expand, I'm looking for a partner that I can trust." The problem was, Stefan wasn't sure he should trust Klaus. Given his considerable power in the business and his reputation, it was a very big chance that he would screw him over and Stefan would be left with nothing to show for it.  
"Say I agree to go into business with you, what exactly is it that you're proposing?" Caroline should have been there, she had helped him when he first took over as CEO of the company, had helped him see through all the bullshit when people had tried to screw him over. She had always been his soundingboard, the one who helped him keep his feet on the ground and not get lost in the clouds, the more he thought about it the more he realized he couldn't make this decision without consulting her first.

"We will both have our respective companies, of course, and those will be exclusively ours with no interference. What I'm suggesting is that we start a new line of hotels together. I know how time consuming running a company can be, but with the two of us together, I believe we can go global." It was a tempting offer, and if he could do it without risking everything, it might be worth a shot. He had enough personal funds that he could do it without borrowing funds from the Boardinghouse, and with Klaus combined funds they might actually pull it off.  
"I need some time to think about it, how long are you in town?" Klaus smiled and looked out the windows overlooking Manhattan, the skycrapers like glistening towers in the glowing sun.  
"Atleast another week, I have decided to spend some time with my family while I'm here." Stefan wondered what a Mikaelson bonding looked like, but he wasn't about to ask, considering his own complicated relationship with his brother he knew how difficult family could be.

"I just have to confer with one other person before I get back to you, I should have an answer before the weekend,"

* * *

Something was going on with her boyfriend and best friend, and Bonnie wanted to know what it was. She wasn't jealous, knew how close friends Caroline and Kol were, but they had never kept things from her before. When Caroline had told her she was meeting Kol for lunch she hadn't thought all that much about it, but when she had asked Kol his plans for the day and he hadn't told her anything, that's what had her suspicious. Kol didn't lie to her, so whatever was going on had to be something big if he didn't want her to know. Maybe it had something to do with his brothers being in the city, she knew he hadn't been all that happy when Caroline brought Klaus home with her after the club, but he couldn't still be upset about that, could he?

"Bonnie?" Elena's voice brought her back to the present and she blinked away the last risidual thoughts gnawing at her. Elena was on set in Australia, she had just gotten some time between filming and since she couldn't talk to Caroline, skyping with Elena was the next best thing.  
"I'm sorry, it's just this thing with Kol and Caroline, it's got me all over the place," Elena smiled but it was a tired smile, her always so put together movie star best friend looked tired a lot lately, and while she didn't voice it, she was starting to think that maybe it was time for Elena and Damon to take another break. The only problem with that was, she knew how it was going to turn out. Everytime Elena and Damon broke up or decided to take a "time out", Damon ended up drowning himself in alcohol and sniffing his way through mountains of cocain, then Stefan would force him back into rehab with the help of Caroline and once he got clean he and Elena would end up together again. A breakup between Elena and Damon always affected the people around them more then it affected them, Caroline had worn herself out last time trying to be there for both Elena and Stefan, and Bonnie couldn't see Caroline push herself into the ground again. Not after last time.

"You should just ask them Bonnie, didn't you say you and Caroline are having a girlsnight tonight? Ask her then," Biting her lip, Bonnie considered Elena's advice. It wasn't a bad idea, but if whatever was going on was personal, she didn't want to be pushy or come of as the petty jealous girlfriend. Caroline would never go behind her back and cheat with Kol, and Kol would never hurt her like that, she knew that like she knew the back of her hand, but something was definetely going on that they didn't want her to know about. Was it so wrong that she was maybe a little insecure?

"I don't know Elena, I think I'm just going to let it go for now. If it's something important that I should know about, one of them will tell me." Bonnie could see the hesitation on Elena's face, knew that whatever came next wouldn't make her feel better.  
"Damon cheated three months ago, and I knew something was wrong but he never said anything. I had to find out from Kat, this weekend..." Suddenly Elena's tired appearance made all the sense in the world, so did her red eyes, Bonnie couldn't even imagine the pain her friend had to be going through.  
"I'm so sorry, Elena. But, Kol isn't Damon, I know he wouldn't hurt me like that. And we both know Caroline would kill herself before doing something like that to either one of us," That was one thing she was absolutely sure about.  
"I know, Care wouldn't do that, all I'm saying is that maybe he did cheat and he's confiding in Caroline. Everyone confides in Caroline, and she never tells because she's Caroline," and Caroline didn't tell other peoples secrets...  
"Elena, are you okay? Did you and Damon..." Sighing, Elena flipped her hair over her shoulder and her eyes were blank when she finally replied.  
"I broke up with him last night. He's been sleeping with his co-star all along and then he's being an ass about me having that sex-scene with Liam for the movie. I can't do it anymore, Bonnie. This whole relationship with me and Damon is never going to end well, I just... he's a weakness I can't seem to shake." It had always been like that with Elena and Damon, even senior year of high school when they first got together it was a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs that never seemed to end. Personally, Bonnie thought Damon was the reason for that, it had been the same way when he was dating Caroline, until Caroline finally had enough and dumped his sorry ass.

"You can do it Elena, I know you can. I know it's not what you want to hear right now, but maybe the two of you breaking up is a good thing. You might finally find someone that actually makes you happy," That was all Bonnie wanted for Elena, after everything she'd been through, she just wanted her to be happy.  
"Thanks Bon, listen I've got to go, I have a shoot in three hours and need to get some sleep. Talk to Caroline, text me if you learn something."  
"I will, take care Elena"

Signing off the computer, Bonnie grabbed her phone and texted Caroline. She needed a girls night more than ever, and maybe Elena was right, maybe it was better to get it all in the open sooner rather than later. At least then, she would know.

* * *

Katherine glared at her phone as it vibrated for the sixteenth time in as many minutes, Damon really didn't know how to take a hint. She figured he was calling her because Elena had dumped him again, _good for her, _and she had no desire what so ever to listen to him whine about how utterly unfair her sister was being. Katherine may not always have the best relationship with her sister, but Elena deserved a hell of a lot better then some cheating ass who couldn't keep it in his pants.

"Aren't you going to get that?" Rebekah glanced pointedly at her phone, and Kat showed the stupid thing into her purse.  
"No, it's Damon again, and unless you want to listen to his crap, I'm never answering a call from him again." She just hoped Elena had enough sense to stay away from him this time.  
"Ah, still trouble in paradise?" Snorting, Katherine stepped in front of the mirror per Rebekah's instructions, and snapped her gaze towards her purse as the stupid phone started vibrating again. She was helping Rebekah with a final fitting for a wedding gown she'd designed for the daughter of the New Orleans mayor, and it really was a gorgeous one of a kind dress.  
"Hold this," taking the pins Rebekah held out, the designer kneeled down to make some final adjustments on the skirt, tightening it at the waist and Katherine had the sudden thought that she would make a pretty gorgeous bride.

"You make a stunning bride," Elijah's voice sentencing her thoughts had her head snapping towards the door, her cheeks coloring slightly at the very heavy look he was giving her. _Mrs. Katherine Mikaelson_ \- it didn't sound half-bad, except for the part where she had to actually get married. Katherine didn't believe in marriage, thought of it as a prisonsentence, she liked having the freedom to see and be exactly who she wanted.

"Elijah, what are you doing here? I thought you and Nik were out scowering the real estate market for the next big "Original" hotel." Rebekah wasn't sure how she felt about the prospect of her brothers moving to New York on a more permanent basis, at least until their latest hotel was finished and running smoothly. She loved Elijah and Nik, but she quite enjoyed having them at a distance, they were less likely to probe into her personal affairs in New Orleans.  
"Yes sister, we were. Niklaus is having a business meeting with your friend Stefan at the moment, I presume he'll come here when he's finished. We thought we could take you out to dinner," That was sweet, and she would love nothing more than to have dinner with her brothers, but she still had a lot of work to do and really didn't have the time.  
"I appreciate the gesture Elijah, I really do, but I'm swamped here and I'm already behind as it is. This dress needs to be finished by morning and I-" The incessant vibration from Katherine's purse broke her off and she'd had enough. Stomping over to the worktable where Katherine had deposited her purse, she wrenched the phone out of the purse and put it to her ear.

"Katherine is busy Damon and no one wants to listen to your pittiful excuses, grow up and be a man." Hanging up she turned to face Katherine who was smirking at her with an arched brow that said she was impressed, causing Rebekah to roll her eyes and huff in annoyance as she stalked back over to finish the last touches on the dress.  
"Like I was saying Elijah, I really don't have time for dinner," Elijah sighed and walked up to stand behind her, grabbing her shoulders he turned her around and forced her to look at him.  
"You need to eat Rebekah, without food you're going to lose your focus and start making mistakes." Slumping against him, she sighed and conceded to his point.  
"You're welcome to join us as well miss Pierce," Katherine smiled, and it was the kind of smile that made it obvious Katherine was intimately familiar with her brother, which made Rebekah want to gag.  
"If you could both refrain from having eye-sex in my presence, that would be very much appreciated. I don't give a damn what the two of you do behind closed doors, but this is my sacred space, so keep it pg rated."

Katherine was starting to see Rebekah in a whole new light, she had clearly misjudged by thinking she was a doe-eyed pushover, Rebekah Mikaelson had spunk and Katherine liked that. Rebekah was more than just a damn good designer, somewhere in there was a stonecold bitch that Katherine could learn to like and respect.

* * *

After finishing her lunch with Kol, Caroline called Sebastian and set up everything he needed to teach Kol to cook. Then she hailed a cab to take her to the Sentinel, Stefan's hotel that Matt was currently staying in, and from the 911 text he'd sent her ten minutes ago, something was seriously wrong. Matt had never sent her a 911 text her entire life, and she was slightly terrified as she rode the elevator to the 22nd floor where he was staying in the two bedroom London suite.

Knocking on the door, she felt the buzz of an incoming text and just had the time to type a quick reply to Bonnie before Matt opened the door and pulled her inside. Opening her mouth to ask him what the hell was going on, she stopped herself after seeing his haggard appearance and the panicked look in his eyes.  
"Matt, what-" before she could finish her sentence, there was a crash from the main room and she spun around, feeling her eyes go wide she glanced back at Matt and he seemed so utterly lost it almost broke her heart.

"It's Vicky," he said finally and she could already feel a migraine starting to press at her temples. Vicky Donovan was supposed to be in rehab, how on earth she'd gotten out and jumped a plane to New York was beyond her, but she could understand Matt's panic.  
"When did she get here?" Stepping out of her heels, she shrugged out of her jacket and pulled her hair into a tight bun. She'd dealt with Vicky before, the Lindsay Lohan of pop stars could be volatile and violent when she was under the influence, and Matt wouldn't have called her if Vicky wasn't on something.  
"A couple hours ago. I tried talking to her, to convince her to go back to rehab, but she freaked out and I can't get her to calm down."

Rolling her shoulders, she walked down the hall and into the main room. The place was trashed, the glass table and tv was broken, splinters of glass were all over the carpeted floor and it looked like she'd used some of the shards to tear the furniture. Vicky herself was pacing the floor in front of the windows. She was sickly thin, her clothes were hanging off her, the long dark strands of her hair were all matted together and when she finally looked at Caroline she had a crazed look in her eyes that Caroline recognized all too well.

"How long since you last shot up, Vicky?" She was twitchy, her eyes flicking back and forth across the room like a caged animal, and her feet were tripping while she bit her nails nervously.  
"Yesterday morning," Her voice belonged to a seventy year old woman, not the twenty-seven year old she was. Walking into the kitchen, careful not to step on any glass, she drew a glass of water and looked at Matt who had followed behind her. Keeping her voice low so Vicky wouldn't hear, she said "In the hall, look inside my purse and find my planner. In the back there's a contact list, call the number under Cory and tell him I need his help. Give him the name of the hotel and the roomnumber, tell him it's urgent. I'll deal with Vicky," Turning around, Matt shot his sister a final dissappointed look before dissappearing into the hall.

"Matty? Matt, where are you going?" Vicky was starting to panic again, her attachment to her brother had always been strong, but every time she got like this it took a little more of his soul, and as horrible as the thought was, sometimes Caroline wished that Vicky's od's weren't always near calls. Maybe if Vicky wasn't around anymore, he'd actually have a chance at a somewhat normal and happy life.  
"He's just going to take a little walk Vick, clear his head a little. Come sit down with me, tell me what's going on, why you're here," Vicky was anxious, her eyes constantly straying to the hall, but after a while she finally stepped around all the broken glass and joined Caroline at the dining table.

"I didn't mean to upset him, but that place they sent me too... I couldn't stay there any longer," shaking her head to back up her statement, Vicky was but a ghost of the person Caroline had once called a friend. Vicky was seventeen when she released her first single and became a big hit, for the first couple of years she was americas sweetheart, but then she met a guy that introduced her to the dark side of the industry, and since then she'd been in and out of rehab. She usually managed to stay clean for a period of four to six months before having a relapse, and it was always Matt who had to take the brunt of it.  
"What happened? It's okay Vick, you can talk to me," despite everything she put Matt through, Caroline still cared about Vicky and if something had happened to her at the rehab clinic, she wanted to help her in whatever she could.

"One of the orderlies" sniffing before pushing her hand under her nostril in a symptom Caroline recognized from cocaine users, Vicky looked almost shameful when she continued, "he would come into my room at night, and he would... do things. I can't do it anymore Caroline, I can't" Rage burning in her veins, Caroline reached out and took Vicky's hand. She knew better then to trust the words of an addict, but the shame and humiliation in Vicky's eyes weren't lies, and the fact that someone had taken advantage of her in the place she had gone to to get better, it made her want to kill someone.  
"Vicky, will you let me help you, please? There is a rehab center right here in New York, I know the people who run it and they are really good people Vick. They'll take care of you, make you get better. You're allowed to have visitors and I can come see you every day, how does that sound?"

It was clear she wasn't in her right mind, her withdrawal had her on edge and made her unpredictable, but she didn't seem like she did when she got violent. She seemed more scared, lost, and it was breaking Caroline's heart.

"Every week?" Smiling, she repeated it back to her, just holding Vicky's hand until Matt returned with Cory beside him. Caroline had met Cory two years ago when she'd been hired to plan an event for his charity, they had kept in touch and she had never been more happy about that then she was in that very moment.  
"Vicky, this is Cory, he's the one I told you about, his charity runs the rehab center." As Cory came around the table, Caroline gave him her seat and walked over to stand beside Matt, taking his hand in their own as they both watched in silence while Cory talked to Vicky. She was going to do something about what had happened to Vicky at the other rehab center, she wasn't going to tell Matt because it wasn't her secret to tell and at the moment it would only do more harm then good, but when the time was right, she'd convince Vicky to tell him. The important thing was to get Vicky somewhere she could feel safe, a place with the right setting to help her get better, and Caroline would keep her promise and visit every week.


End file.
